WINDHOEK: The Ministry of Home Affairs , Immigration , Safety and Security has urged parents to register their children immediately after birth to avoid complications . Ministry spokesperson Margaret Kalo said early birth registration is important because this helps to prevent undocumented citizens and should happen when the baby is below 12 months old . Kalo spoke to Nampa on the sidelines of the just - ended Windhoek Industrial and Agricultural Show . ' We have dedicated officials at the majority of the hospitals in the country that will help to register babies immediately after birth . In situations where parents have to take their babies home to perform certain naming rituals , they must bring them back so that they can secure their birth certificates before they turn 12 months . It is a smooth process ,' she said . The ministry issued birth certificates , identity documents ( IDs ) and passports during the Windhoek Industrial and Agricultural Show . The ministry won two awards - Best Service Provider for the indoor category and a Gold Diploma for the indoor category - during the show . Kalo said these awards prove the ministry ' s dedication , efficiency , and commitment to serving its clients .Source: The Namibia News Agency